Seventy-year-old Philip Miskella, who was said to be devoted to his wife Mary, was told by Judge Sir Rhys Davies QC: "I am satisfied you had no insight into your situation when this sad offence was committed. You were suffering physically and mentally and your sick wife was more vulnerable to harm than a healthy person might have been.

"Unhappily, your deteriorating health led to this tragedy after a deeply happy and committed relationship. It is not a case in which the interests of the public demand you undergo a custodial penalty."

The judge said Miskella, of Birch Avenue, Hurstead, would be subject to a community rehabilitation order for three years with a condition that he receive medical treatment. The order would enable him to have appropriated treatment and counselling "to come to terms with the dreadful nature of your situation."

Miskella admitted the manslaughter of his 66-year-old wife on the basis there was no intent to commit serious harm. His plea of not guilty to murder was accepted by the Crown and approved by the judge.

Mrs Miskella died at their home one night last September. The cause of death was a mystery and the injuries she sustained did not indicate a great degree of violence. Pathologists had said little force would be necessary to cause her death because of her poor health.

Miskella's counsel, John Rowe QC said the couple's daughter, Claire, had told the police her parents were devoted to each other. The daughter, her doctor husband and other family members had given Miskella every support while he was on bail and living in the family home. He had also been receiving regular hospital treatment.

Prosecuting, Charles Garside QC said the couple had been married for 45 years and were a devoted and happy couple. Both worked as nurses and met when working at Birch Hill Hospital. They had an ideal family life.

When he retired, he was a nurse tutor and manager of the school of nursing at Birch Hill. Mrs Miskella was a ward sister. Recently both had been in poor health, the husband suffering from depression, while his wife was physically ill.

"Each were concerned to shield the other from the consequences of that ill-health and anxious to make sure the other was well cared for," he said.

In the early hours of a Sunday, Miskella telephoned their parish priest, Father Arthur Neary at St Mary's RC Church, to say he had just murdered his wife. He was advised to call the police. Officers went to the house, found Mrs Miskella dead in the bedroom and the husband was arrested.

He said later he had put his wife in a neck hold, causing her death, but said he had not known what his intention had been. He denied wanting to seriously hurt her and a post mortem failed to reveal the cause of death.